Of all the countries Alyssa and I visited during our month in Eastern Europe (2017), Slovenia was the one that swept me off my feet. Maybe it's because I had no expectations going in, given how little I knew about the country and the fact that we actually didn't plan anything we were going to do or see. But, if you have time for only one country, make it Slovenia. And don't make the silly mistake of doing "Slovenia in a day" which the tour companies try to sell you on - we spent a week in Slovenia and couldn't have been happier. We rented a car in Ljubljana so started and ended our trip there. You can also visit the Julian Alps/Bled by coming over the Italian border if you want.

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Ljubljana 

​Ljubljana was really cute - felt very "European" in the classic sense, without the huge throngs of tourists. We did a walking tour which was a great way to see the city and learn about some of the history. The city has a very advanced underground trash system which is...awesome.

Aside from the walking tour: 

• Museum of Illusions - fun, quick activity
• Neboticnik - great rooftop where you can grab a drink - panoramic views of the city!
• Ljubljana Castle - during the summer, they play movies at night. It was quite a hike up to the castle, but was a fun way to see it. Films are played in their original language with English subtitles

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Bled

Lake Bled is SO beautiful! We rented a car from Ljubljana and drove to/from Bled. We stayed at a hostel that was walking distance to the lake 

Things to do:

• Paddle boarding on the lake - you can paddle up to the island, grab a gelato there, then paddle back!
• We went canyoning with 3glav which was kind of scary but if you want an adrenaline rush, it could be the activity for you.
• Paragliding - this was SO beautiful. I had never done it before (and haven't done it since) - the views were amazing and it felt very safe. 
• Hike up to Mala Osojnica for sunrise/sunset (unfortunately we woke up SO early to do this and it was cloudy). 
• We visited a small honey farm and did not get stung!
• Visit Lake Bohinj, about a 30 minute drive from Bled. It had a little beach and was stunning!

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Driving around the Julian Alps, ​Soča Valley, ​Hiša Franko 

Ok so this was the highlight and something we didn't initially have planned! Alyssa had watched the Chef's Table episode that showcased Hiša Franko and put us on a wait list for a reservation (dinner and an overnight stay). We found out a few days earlier that there was a last minute cancellation and were glad we left some room for spontaneity. Ana, the head chef, her husband Valter (he does the wine and cheese), and their family all live at this home.  It was an AMAZING meal and I seriously considered how I could maybe spend a summer out here working in the kitchen...everyone was so nice and really seemed to be enjoying themselves. They also let us split a wine tasting. I feel like more restaurants should do this - it's a more reasonable amount of wine. We stayed overnight on site (highly recommend) and the morning breakfast which is included was lovely. 

If you want a more luxurious stay, Nebesa, is owned/run by Ana's parents. We met a couple on their honeymoon that were staying over there. But, still do go to Hiša Franko for a meal. 

The drive itself to/from Bled was gorgeous - we had a Lonely Planet book that outlined a few stops for us as we drove, so build in some time for a few pitstops / photo ops! The Planica sports centre was a fun one - there were (very young looking) athletes practicing and it was scary even to watch. 

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